has been ill,why been

He has been ill for 2 days. Why put "been" after has ?
And what wrong without "been" ?
(He has ill for 2 days.) or (He is ill for 2 days)

suthipong worasarn said:

He has been ill for 2 days. Why put "been" after has ?
And what is wrong without "been" ?
(He has ill for 2 days.) or (He is ill for 2 days)

Click to expand...

Although other languages may use different verbs to describe the state of a person having an illness, the English is BE ill.

In your example the state began two days ago, and continued from that time on. It is still true now. This is a classic case for the present perfect - He has been ill for 2 days

/A learner/

It is two days that he has been ill.

I wonder is it possible, if one like avoiding the PP in such cases, to informally say the sentence this way below.

It is two days now that he is ill.:roll:

(Of course 'be' must be used.)

e2e4 said:

I wonder is it possible, if one likes avoiding the PP in such cases, to informally say the sentence this way below.

It is two days now that he is ill.:roll:

(Of course 'be' must be used.)

Click to expand...

If the conversation is informal enough, one can say almost anything, but your suggested utterance strikes me as very unnatural.

Why should one 'like avoiding' the present perfect? It is an essential part of English.

fivejedjon said:

Although other languages may use different verbs to describe the state of a person having an illness, the English is BE ill.

In your example the state began two days ago, and continued from that time on. It is still true now. This is a classic case for the present perfect - He has been ill for 2 days

Click to expand...

Thank you. The word "BE ill" stated in the reply makes me more understanding. English is my foreign language, therefore, it is still something new in my feeling when using it.

fivejedjon said:

If the conversation is informal enough, one can say almost anything, but your suggested utterance strikes me as very unnatural.

Why should one 'like avoiding' the present perfect? It is an essential part of English.

Click to expand...

OK, likes for the third person.Thanks!

suggested utterance??? I haven't suggested anything. I wondered about it.

Anyway I try not to avoid the PP. Making mistakes when use it but not avoid it at all.

Suthipong Worasarn: I think you have to review Present Perfect Tense. Since it suggests 'perfectness' in a sentece because it covers past and present at the same time, you will start using it incessantly once you get a grip of it. Most languages do not have such tenses hence most people neglect the usage of Present Perfect Tense... But it is one of the most important tenses of English.

e2e4 said:

OK, likes for the third person.Thanks!

Why should one like. Thanks!

Click to expand...

5